CHP's Kaya slams YÖK: "Equality of opportunity in education is being eliminated"

Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman responsible for Education Policies, Yıldırım Kaya, issued a harsh written statement regarding the policies of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) on higher education quotas. Stating that state university quotas are being systematically reduced while the capacity of foundation universities is being increased, Kaya emphasized that this situation fundamentally undermines equality of opportunity in education, which is a constitutional right.

Drawing attention to striking data from the previous period ahead of the 2026 YKS preference guide, which has not yet been announced, Kaya argued that public education is being restricted, saying, "In 2025, university quotas were reduced overall. However, the burden of this reduction was placed almost entirely on state universities. While a total of 190 thousand 579 quotas were reduced in state universities, there was an increase of 6 thousand 97 quotas in foundation universities and 427 in TRNC universities."

THE YOUTH ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PICTURE

Criticizing the reduction of state quotas and the increase in the share of foundation universities, especially in critical departments such as health sciences, midwifery, and nursing, CHP's Kaya also touched upon the unemployment spiral among university graduates. Expressing that young people are victims of a lack of planning, Kaya used the following expressions: "The youth are not responsible for this picture. The responsible party for this picture is unplanned education policies. It is the political understanding that shapes the future of young people with daily decisions instead of scientific planning." Emphasizing that education cannot be a commercial commodity that can be purchased by those who have money, the Deputy Chairman said that they would not allow the dreams of children from low-income families to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, or academics to be converted into money.

KAYA'S CALL FOR SCIENTIFIC PLANNING TO YÖK

Making an urgent call to the YÖK administration, Yıldırım Kaya stated that this erroneous approach must be abandoned immediately while the 2026 preference guide is being designed. Noting that quotas should be determined not according to market conditions, but according to scientific data and the country's employment projections, Kaya concluded his statement with these words:

"Turkey's need is not more inequality, but more equality of opportunity. Turkey's need is an education system that prepares young people for the future, not one that puts them in debt. Turkey's need is not to commercialize higher education, but to strengthen its public nature. As the Republican People's Party, we will continue to defend our youth's right to education, equality of opportunity, and public education."